Southampton fans were expecting Duje Caleta-Car to depart on a permanent basis, but suddenly it changed to a loan deal, but although on the outside that seems to be the case, it is claimed the reality is slightly different.
A few days ago it was reported that Duje Caleta-Car would be leaving Saints after less than a year on the books and he would be joining Lyon for around 5 million euros, a loss of a couple of million on the amount they paid on 1st September 2022.
sportwitness.co.uk are reporting that the news from France is that this is a only a loan deal in name.
They say L'Equipe in France are saying that due to financial monitoring currently in place on the French club, that they have persuaded Southampton to initially make this a loan deal.
Apparently Saints will receive €1.54m up front for the loan, which will be used by them to pay Caleta-Car’s wages, that will mean that no new salary will appear on Lyon's wage bill and help east the monitoring on them.
There is then a compulsory option to buy in place with Saints receiving a further 3.59 million euros accompanied by a "bonus" of €2.1m.
Caleta-Car has already agreed a four year contract with Lyon and once the Lyon wage bill is released from the monitoring process by the National Directorate of Management Control) the organization responsible for monitoring and overseeing the accounts of professional football clubs in France, then the deal will be made permanent and Saints will receive the second part of their money.
What the actual timescale is for this is unclear, but it seems an agreement that suits all parties, Southampton FC because they are initially covering his wages and have a signed permanent transfer deal agreement in place, the player who get a move away from St Mary's where he has not exactly shone in his time, starting just 9 Premier League games plus another 4 off the bench and of course Lyon who get to circumnavigate the restrictions they are currently under and get their man.
Nothing is ever straightforward with Southampton Football Club.